The Applicant
by nishikaze
Summary: Kid Flash is up for membership of everyone's favorite team of teenage superheroes, but when a villain finds religion, the apocalypse is sure to follow. Will KF live long enough to make his mark on the team?


The Applicant

A Teen Titans fan fiction by Nishikaze

Chapter One: The Scarlet Speedster

Things had changed. It had become a lot more dangerous to be a lone superhero, and a teenage one at that. The entire experience with the Brotherhood had only gone to prove it. So here he was waiting for a member of the infamous Teens Titans to meet with him about the possibility of membership. He sat down at one of the bistro tables with his large pizza. At least he could enjoy a snack while he waited. He devoured the pizza in record time, followed it with a large soda and a mighty burp. _Well… _He thought to himself _That should hold me over for an hour or so._

"Nice manners, red. I see you and Cyborg have something in common all ready." He turned toward the owner of the dry voice behind him, and prepared to answer wisecrack for crack. The owner of the voice was a violet haired young woman with eyes the same color. She wore a dark colored cape and leotard accessorized with red gems. "Hungry much?"

Kid Flash smiled cheekily, "Well… I _am_ a growing boy." He stood up and extended a hand, "Kid Flash at your service… and you are?"

"Raven." She barely brushed his hand before sitting down into the seat across from him. "I was sent to interview you for the team."

"Wow…" He scratched the back of his head ruefully, "I feel like I'm applying for a job." He disappeared and a heartbeat later he was back and wearing a gaudy orange and purple tie and carrying a briefcase. "Now I'm sorry I know I didn't bring a resume but…"

"We know about how you kept the Hive 5 in line and that wasn't an easy feat. We appreciated it. That is why I am here." Raven broke in, not acknowledging the prank.

"Oh that… That was fun. They aren't so bad once you get to know them… Just a little misguided." He slipped the tie off and shrugged. He looked straight at her for a moment, studying her before he asked, "Do you ever smile?"

He expected her to blush, or to get flustered or even annoyed but she just continued as if he hadn't said anything. "Robin usually runs new potentials through a practice run on the training field but…" She was interrupted when her broach began to glow.

"Ooooo… Interesting fashion sense you have. Most people would think the glowing jewel look was a bit over the top, but on you, it works."

She ignored him and pulled out a communicator, "A bank robbery is in progress just a few blocks from here, hostages and guns involved. We're the closest."

"Lead on McDuff!" He stood, "Where is the bank?"

Raven also stood, "Fifth and Bleaker. We should get an idea of the situation before we go charging into there though. Follow my lead."

Kid Flash nodded, "OK… No problem, but first things first…" He scooped her up before she could react and before Raven could blink the two of them were at the bank. Again he expected her to react, but instead she was all business.

"I'm going to sneak into the bank and get a layout and the exact number of hostages, stay here." And with that she disappeared, melting into the shadows. Minutes passed and Kid Flash was just beginning to get bored when she reappeared. She drew a square on the ground and began to fill the square with x's and o's. "The o's are hostages and the x's are the robbers. I'm going to draw their attention and their fire and as I do that get the hostages out as quickly as you can, starting with these three." She circled a cluster of three o's near the door. "I'm coming in from the back, you use the door. Wait until you hear my distraction and then start evacuating." With that she flipped up her hood so her eyes were in shadow and she stepped back and disappeared into the shadows of the alley by the bank.

This time KF didn't have to wait so long. He heard the shouts almost immediately. He was in the building and moving toward the first of the hostages in less than a heartbeat. It was then that he knew why she had specifically chosen this group first. It was a young mother and two toddlers. He grabbed the kids and ran, handing them to a startled grandmotherly passerby before returning into the building for the mother. He knew he wouldn't be able to carry all of the patrons and workers of the bank out, he wasn't that strong, but the mother was petite, and he was able to scoop her up. Depositing her next to the woman with her children he was back into the building.

In the heartbeats that it had taken him to save the family, Raven had disarmed the robbers, pulling the guns from their hands with her magic. Kid Flash revised the plan. Instead of carrying the patrons out one by one, he zigzagged through the robbers, knocking them all out. As the last man fell he stopped and shook out his aching fist. "Wow… that smarts."

"Look out!" One of the patrons screamed pointing behind Raven when a man stepped from the shadows with a pistol drawn. He fired as Kid Flash moved, knocking Raven down and out of the path of the bullet. He felt the brush of the metal through his hair as he fell down with her, knocking the two of them flat. Before the burglar could fire again, Raven reacted from her position on the floor, throwing up her hand and creating a black magical barrier to protect the two from the second shot. There would be no third. Before the man could fire again Raven murmured a magical phrase and pulled the gun from his hand and into her own. In the blink of an eye, the man slipped to the floor unconscious as he followed his fellows into a fist educed slumber.

Again Kid Flash shook out his hand, "Damn that smarts."

Raven stood and as the wail of sirens signaled the coming of the police, she faded out of the back wall. When Kid Flash turned she was gone.

Kid Flash waited only long enough to ensure that the police had everything safely in hand before leaving. Not knowing where Raven had gone to (and feeling as if perhaps it was time for another snack) he made his way back to the pizza parlor. He ordered another large pizza and soda and sat back down at the same table. This time when he heard the voice behind him he wasn't the least bit startled. "I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt and say that I'm sure you need a lot of energy to fuel your powers, but I don't see how you enjoy your food when you eat it so fast."

He finished his pizza, "That's what my mom keeps telling me. Where did you disappear too?"

"I had a report to make. When you're finished we'll go on to Titans Tower. Robin would like to meet you."

"Cool… Is he, like your leader?"

"Yes, like, he is."

Kid Flash finished he snack and stood, "Should I meet you there, or would you like me to carry you again?" He asked wiggling his eyebrows.

She cocked one of her eyebrows in response, "Unless you can run on water, I will be the one carrying you this time…," She stood up straight, her hands on her hips, "Unless you have a problem with that?"

Kid Flash smiled sweetly, "No… no problem at all."

Titan's tower was an impressive, if ostentatious display of engineering. Nothing like a huge tower in the shape of a 'T', but of all the tech in the tower, the 6 foot wide digital, high definition screen TV impressed Kid Flash the most. "Sweet."

"You should see the games Cyborg and Beastboy found for that bad boy, they'll blow you away." It was the second time today hadn't heard the approach, first it was Raven and this time it was a boy wearing tights, a cape and a black mask. _I'm gonna have to work on that. _

The other boy held out his hand. "I'm Robin, and you must be Kid Flash." He waived to the couch in front of the TV. "Please have a seat. Raven said a lot about you in her report and I have to admit, I've wanted to meet you."

Kid Flash sat down into the chair and put his feet up, "I can't imagine she had anything good to say."

Robin cocked an eyebrow, "What makes you think that?"

He shrugged, "I don't know… she just didn't smile… all business, like she was studying me and found me lacking. Plus I disobeyed her orders at the bank. I'm sure _that_ went over real well."

Robin smiled and sat back. "Would you like to hear her report? You might be surprised."

Kid Flash blinked and took a moment to answer. "Do I want to…? OOoooo… Kay. Let's hear it." He stood up.

Robin stood up and walked over to a small digital screen. He hit a few buttons and Raven's image popped onto the screen. "In my initial meeting of him, Kid Flash came off as brash and self-assured, but not surprisingly, self-absorbed. He is simple but not intelligence wise. He just sees life in black and white, right and wrong, no shades of grey, and wants the world to be this way. He is smarter than he gives himself credit for I imagine, with an ability to think…" She scowled at the coming phrase, "Fast on his feet."

She continued, "He is willing to follow orders, but he doesn't need them to function. He has the ability to adjust orders to suit the situation accordingly. He has the ability to work in a team situation without grandstanding and watches out for his teammates. With work, I feel he would be a good addition to the team."

Robin grinned at the other boy's stunned expression. "Not what you were expecting was it?"

He blinked, "No, it wasn't. I didn't think she liked me."

"Well… Raven's funny that way. It not about whether she likes you or not. Her mission was to evaluate you for team membership; emotions had no part in that. The important thing for you to know is that I trust her judgment." Robin thrust out his hand and shook the other boy's hand. "Welcome to the Teen Titans. Come on… I'll show you to where you can bunk."

Next time: Flash meets the rest of the team… Initiation anyone? Also an old enemy finds religion, and that is not even remotely a good thing.


End file.
